I am about to install two new studs into my wall's frame. I noticed that the studs are about 1/16th of an inch shorter than the inner height of the frame. That doesn't appear to be a lot to a layman such as myself, but these studs are going to need to be able to support a layer of drywall and a layer of QuietRock fastened to a hat track that's mounted onto Genie Clips.
One stud is being sistered in directly next to another (thx, Evil Greebo) and the other stud is going right between two studs. Will the 2 1/2" and 3 1/2" wood screws I will be using to install the studs be enough to counter the 1/16" gap between the top and bottom or will I need to get a longer stud and make an exact cut so that it goes in snug?
Best Answer
For the sistered stud, it makes no difference. All the load is transfered to the adjacent stud and there won't be any movement if you use enough screws and the adjacent stud is properly installed.
For the other side, just make sure the stud is resting firmly against the base plate and screw it down, leaving any slack between the stud and top plate. If there's too much movement, either cut a new stud or put a shim up there. But since none of this is load bearing (in terms of the structure, not your drywall), there's no need for the cuts to be perfect. Just make sure that once installed and screwed in, there isn't any play in the stud, and you'll be fine.